Coming Next Week to Nintendo Switch – Learn Japanese Through Puzzles in Kana Quest

Next week, Whitethorn Games - publisher of inclusive, accessible, low-stress games including Lake, Calico, and Wytchwood - and developer Not Dead Design will release the kawaii Kana match ‘em up, Kana Quest, for Nintendo Switch! In just a few short days you’ll get to befriend all the adorable Kana at home or on the go. With over 300 hand-crafted puzzles across 13 worlds set in a cheerful, retro-arcade pixel art environment, learning Japanese has never been so fun!

Kana Quest will be available on Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe on March 28, and in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea on March 30.

Kana Quest offers a unique twist on the educational game genre, teaching players to read Japanese through engaging tile-swapping puzzles. In Japanese, each phonetic letter is called a Kana. In Kana Quest, players must rearrange a grid of Kana in order to match tiles with shared sounds. When all Kana in a level are connected by matches, the puzzle will be complete! Whether players know how to read Japanese or not, Kana Quest offers hundreds of brain-bending puzzles that will challenge even fluent speakers, all set in an adorable, pixel-art retro-arcade aesthetic!

Key Features of Kana Quest include:

  • Match and Learn: Puzzles and lessons for all skill levels! Kana Quest was designed for anyone to enjoy, no matter your level of Japanese.

  • Double the Fun: Know how to read Hiragana already? No problem! Swap between Hiragana and Katakana at any time to add to your knowledge of the Japanese language!

  • No Tests, No Problem: Unlike other educational games, Kana Quest features ZERO pop quizzes so that players can learn in an interactive and engaging way!

  • Kawaii Kana: Beautiful sprite art and catchy music will accompany players on their language-learning journey


Kana Quest will be available on Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe on March 30, 2023. The game will be available on Nintendo Switch in Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea on March 30, 2023

21. März 2023, von Thore Varga